The New Year's concert is part of a broader effort to make orchestral music a regular presence in the city. Changchun resident Yang Min, who often attends concerts with her child, has already purchased tickets for early January. "What draws me here is the history," she said, "and the feeling that this place is alive again."

As rehearsals continue, the Jilin Provincial Music Hall stands at the intersection of memory and renewed use. When the New Year's concert arrives, it will test whether sustained music-making can allow a restored building to once again become part of how a city listens to itself.